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Corran Ferry Update

Officers have just provided the following update on the Corran Ferry service, which is currently suspended following a breakdown with the steering.

“This breakdown caused the ferry to briefly touch the rocks beside the Nether Lochaber slipway today at 12.36pm. Due to the professionalism and competency of the ferry team, no harm was done to people, property or environment. The ferry was brought alongside the slip, then cars and passengers offloaded and the ferry returned to its moorings for checks all by 13.05pm

No hull damage is apparent, however, this requires to be confirmed by divers and the steering requires to be checked by systems support engineers so that the vessel can be signed off by the MCA for a return to service.

Timescales will become clearer after the engineers check the steering, but at present, the ferry will be out of service at least until early next week so that these tasks can be carried out.

Our backup ferry, The Maid of Glencoul, is also out of service being unable to return from its spring refit, moored at Bute close to the repair yard, waiting for the manufacture of a rare part in its steering, without which it cannot operate.”

Councillors will receive regular updates as to when we can expect a return to service. We are obviously in the hands of the MCA as they carry out their inspection and safety checks. Let’s hope that there is no serious repair work needed on the Corran Ferry that will delay this any further.

4 thoughts on “Corran Ferry Update”

Well at least the redesign work gave us some options. Problem is none of them are quick fixes. Crossing needed. Whether ferry or bridge it will be costly and this could have been avoided if the council had seen it as a priority (that’s council & government, not councillors).

Hi Andrew. That was 3 days ago. What updates have been provided since. To be told by the BBC that the ferry is ‘off for the foreseeable future ‘ is really not good enough. HC should be putting out daily updates to keep us informed. Just imagine if the Kessock Bridge was closed for the foreseeable future!